


In the Aftermath

by loversandantiheroes



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-26
Updated: 2013-07-26
Packaged: 2017-12-21 09:58:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/898957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loversandantiheroes/pseuds/loversandantiheroes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompted: "Since returning to the Enchanted forest with the rest of the family henry is overjoyed to be a young princeling and spend time with his parents. Until it's announced that emma and neal will be having another baby. Henry is thrilled but is jealous of his new brother or sister. Grandpa Rumple takes him for a walk in the woods near his parents home and has a chat with him. Has to have a powerless Rumple."</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Aftermath

The circlet on his brow was gold, intricate and heavy.  Henry had scarcely taken it off since the the ceremony a few months prior when his grandfather Charming had placed it on his head and named him crown prince of the realm.  His mothers - both of them had stood side by side, animosities shelved for the moment - had been all smiles, his father bore a look of cautious pride in his remaining eye - Hook had claimed the other.  He had turned and faced the crowd in the courtyard, thousands of faces, as many familiar as strange, and his grandfathers had flanked him, King James at his left hand, Rumpelstiltskin at his right.  They had raised him up and the crowed took up a singular voice to shout his name.  His heart had swelled with so much joy he thought it must surely burst with it.

That joy still held him, but something was beginning to gnaw away at it.  He thought he had hidden it well, but then Rumpelstiltskin had found him in the training yard watching the knights at practice, and had begged leave of the prince to come join his grandfather for a walk.  His cane had been given up for a staff, six feet of fluidly carved ebony.  Hanging from his belt on a golden loop was a black blade-less hilt - all that remained of the Dark One’s dagger.

The trees rustled around them as they walked, Henry keeping an easy pace beside his limping grandfather.

"Did it hurt?" he asked suddenly.

"Did what hurt, my son?"

"When you lost your powers?  When you became regular again."

Rumpelstiltskin’s mouth twisted and he laughed low.  "Well, I confess I was too distracted with the pain of being stabbed to notice it much.  Is that what you’re afraid of, then?"

Henry nearly tripped over his own feet.  "Wh-what do you mean?  I’m not afraid of anything!"

"As the royal adviser, I’d strongly caution you against that.  Even the bravest and the wisest are afraid.  It’s why we have bravery and wisdom, to fight our fears."  They had come to the edge of a clearing ringed with wide, flat stones.  Rumpelstiltskin eased himself down onto one of them and motioned Henry to sit by his side.

"I know what troubles you, my boy, but I would hear you say it."

Dozens of butterflies flitted through the clearing, their wings a delicate blue.  Henry watched them flicker, dark to light, light to dark as they flew.  "My mom and dad are going to have another baby," he said finally.  His stomach clenched as the gnawing began again.  "And it’s great!" he said, a little too hastily.  "It’s great that they’re going to have a baby.  I’m excited."

Rumpelstiltskin’s nodded his head, the silver in his hair flashing in the mottled sunlight.  "Yes, it’s a great thing, and an exciting thing."  His grandfather peered down at him, and Henry realized for the first time that they bore the same eyes.  "But?"

Sighing, Henry looked out over the ring of stones and the pale blue butterflies dancing above the tall grass.  "But," he began, and faltered.  Slowly, he began again, “I grew up without them.  I grew up thinking I was mad because I saw things nobody else could see, because I knew things nobody else could remember!"  He was nearing it now, his words gaining speed.  "I was the only one who was able to leave Storybrook!  I was the one that Peter Pan spent centuries looking for!"  Henry glanced down at the hilt attached to his grandfather’s belt and fell silent.

Rumpelstiltskin smiled sadly down at his grandson.  "And now it’s all over.  Peter Pan is gone.  The Dark One is gone.  Storybrooke’s gone."

Henry rubbed his eyes hard.  "Yeah.  It’s all over.  And I’m glad it’s over, I am.  I’m glad the fighting’s done and I’m glad the curses are broken, but, I don’t know.  I guess I’m afraid of it being over.  I’m afraid I’m going to wake up and be in my bed in Storybrooke again.  That I dreamed it all.  That I’ll be regular again."

"Do you know what they’re calling you in the kingdom, Henry?"

Puzzled, he shook his head.

“‘The Dark One’s Bane’," Rumpelstiltskin whispered, wide-eyed.  "My son, you are the one that brought the Savior to Storybrook, and you are the one who rid the worlds of the Dark One’s curse."  One hand went unconsciously to the hilt hanging from his belt.  Henry remembered how it had looked in his own small hands, the blade buried in his grandfather’s chest, and he shuddered.

"But now - "

“‘But’ nothing," Rumpelstiltskin said, but not unkindly.  "You could never be regular, my son.  Not you.  And I don’t think that is what frightens you.  You touched the truth for a moment, but feared to speak it.  Speak truly, Henry.  Speak your fear."

For a moment the only sounds were the wind and a distant sound of birds.  Henry sighed, staring at his hands.  When he finally spoke, it was barely a whisper.  "I grew up without them," he said.  "But the baby won’t.  It’s gonna have everything I ever wanted and grow up like I always wished I could have and it’s not fair."

Henry knuckled away tears as his grandfather pulled him into a tight, one-armed hug and laid a kiss on the top of his head.

"No, my son, it’s not fair.  So much of that is my fault and I am so sorry.  No one deserves to grow up like that, like I did."

Henry looked up and saw tears in his grandfather’s eyes.  "Like you did?"

"My mother died in childbirth.  My father was killed when I was just a wee boy."

Henry shook his head.  "I never knew."

Rumpelstiltskin’s laugh was mirthless.  "Few did."  He shifted, pulling Henry around to face him properly.  "Listen to me my boy, and hear me very well.  Your parents love you.  Regina loves you.  Your grandparents, Snow and Charming, they love you."  He squeezed Henry’s shoulders.  " _I_  love you.  The kingdom loves you!  You are Crowned Prince Henry, The Dark One’s Bane!  And I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that that baby is gonna love you, too."  

He beamed down at Henry, and suddenly the gnawing thing was gone.  "You are a fine prince, and you will be a fine king, but my boy you are going to be a _wonderful_  brother."

Henry threw himself into his grandfather’s arms and hugged him as hard as he could.


End file.
